


A More Unique Valentine

by SuggestiveScribe



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-12 20:34:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3354386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuggestiveScribe/pseuds/SuggestiveScribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru ran his thumb over the drawings on the front. He didn't like Valentine's Day, but he did like the idea of supporting people who strove to make it more interesting.</p>
<p>He picked up the box, voice soft, "I'll take this one."</p>
            </blockquote>





	A More Unique Valentine

**Author's Note:**

> I woke up and realized it was Valentine's Day and then wrote a thing because I am w e a k.

Haru was making his way back toward his apartment after practice. The air seemed a little jumpier than usual; every shop had a flamboyant display in clashing reds and pinks announcing that _IT'S VALENTINES DAY_ and _GET YOUR CHOCOLATES HERE_. Haru almost bothered to cringe at the signs-- they were a little aggressive.

Not to mention gaudy.

Before the barrage of bad marketing Haru had nearly forgotten that Valentine's day was tomorrow. It wasn't really something he kept track of.

He was about to turn off the main street into the more residential section of the neighborhood when he noticed a smaller shop with a long table out front, different colored boxes in shallow stacks across the top.

" _A More Unique Valentine_ " was handwritten on a sign that hung off the front of the table. Interest minimally piqued and glad to have a more varied visual, Haru paused to scan over the contents of the table.

The girl sitting beside it smiled kindly at him, hands clasped politely in her lap. Haru's eyes swept over the boxes. They were simple boxes in assorted colors, with small sketches on the front. There were the typical hearts and flowers on red boxes, but the other boxes were different, more interesting. The yellow box had musical notes scrawled across it, the green box full of flowers that were purposefully _not_ roses. The purple box was covered in stars and crescent moons and an elementarily shaped space ship, the orange box showing off doodles of easy to draw animals-- cats, bears, a tanuki. Then Haru's eyes hit the blue box and he paused, gaze hovering over it. It had sea life-- fish, dolphin, whale, an octopus with four curling arms. 

Haru blinked, touching his hand to the box.

"My family makes their own molds."

Haru blinked up, making eye contact with the girl by the table.

"We want our chocolates to feel like actual thought was put into the gift." Her smile was warm and proud.

Haru ran his thumb over the drawings on the front. He didn't like Valentine's Day, but he did like the idea of supporting people who strove to make it more interesting.

He picked up the box, voice soft, "I'll take this one."

She beamed at him, "Sure thing! Thank you!"

 

Haru tucked the box carefully into his backpack. It was cushioned by his extra set of jammers, so he wasn't worried about it getting tossed around too much. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with it, anyway.

"I'm home," he mumbled as he slid his shoes off in the entryway.

"Welcome back!" Makoto's voice called from the living room.

Giving Makoto a spare key had been a good idea. They tried to meet for dinner often, and Haru had a tendency to run late at practice. It gave Makoto more time to study, so it usually worked out well.

"How was practice?" Makoto asked, eyes breaking away from his work for a moment to flash up at Haru. He smiled.

"Fine," Haru answered, setting his bag down. He looked at the mess of papers Makoto had spread across the table. "Class?" he asked simply.

"So much work," Makoto whined, pushing his hair away from his forehead. "It's not difficult, there's just so _much_ of it."

Haru nodded. "Will we have time for a movie tonight?" he asked, already in the kitchen to make tea but-- ah, Makoto had already made some.

"Yeah yeah, no problem there," Makoto said, hand back to scratching at paper. Haru blinked down at him. He wasn't convinced.

Haru sat down next to him and pulled out his own work, careful not to jostle the chocolates in his bag.

They had been working awhile when Haru glanced up at the clock. He stood, done with his schoolwork. "You're staying here tonight, right?"

"Mm," Makoto answered, not taking his eyes off his papers.

"I'll make our lunches now, then."

Makoto glanced up, suddenly looking panicked, "No no, I'll help you."

He started to move but Haru pushed down at his shoulder, "No. Let me do it while you finish your work. Then we can watch the movie."

Makoto blinked up at him, green eyes bright and conflicted. He eventually surrendered, "Okay. I'll work quickly for you," and then he smiled in that naturally cheerful way and Haru had to turn his head like he had been looking into the sun.

"Sure," then he walked into the kitchen.

Haru filled their bento with rice and mackerel, then remembered Gou and his coach's chidings and went in search of some vegetables to help even out his meal. Makoto had the option of a second layer to his bento, and while he didn't see Makoto use it often, Haru kind of wanted to fill it. It seemed like a waste to have it and never use it.

Haru stared down at it, contemplating. Then his eyes slid over to his book bag.

Valentine's Day tomorrow, huh...

He felt himself redden ever so slightly.

Haru took a few strides toward his backpack, picking it up and bringing it in the kitchen with him. He carefully unearthed and opened the box of chocolates, almost smiling at the shapes. They were well done.

He arranged them neatly in Makoto's bottom layer, snapping the top closed over it with a sense of accomplishment. He wrapped them both and set them on the counter.

"Lunches are ready," Haru said simply, walking back out into the living area and dropping his bag back in its place.

"And I'm done!" Makoto said triumphantly, sounding surprised at himself.

"Good. Let's start the movie then."

Makoto beamed up at him, humming his approval, "Mm!"

#

Haru was starting to feel uneasy around noon.

He and Makoto had parted ways early that morning, Makoto rushing to the train and Haru rushing to the pool. Now it was almost lunchtime, and Haru was settling into one of the study areas, unwrapping his bento.

His eyes kept moving to glance at his phone despite his normal apathy for the device.

His legs felt like they were wound tight, thrumming with excess energy for no reason.

Haru huffed at himself. Maybe he needed to go swim a few more laps.

###

Makoto walked from class, swinging his bento easily from his hand, glad to finally have a break. He settled down at an empty table in a lounge area where quite a few other students were also taking a break for lunch. Hearts were decorating the walls, and Makoto's mind stalled out for a moment on the images before he remembered that today was Valentine's Day. Makoto realized he had been so busy with school lately that he didn't even take note of what was happening around him anymore. Maybe he should slow down a bit.

Makoto opened his bento, smiling down at Haru's normal set of Mackerel and rice like it was a comfort because, well, it was. He ate while glancing over his notes for his next class, humming happily to himself. When he was finished he moved the box to rewrap it and heard something rattle.

Makoto tilted his head. Something in the bottom?

Makoto lifted the top layer, revealing the bottom with--

Makoto stood in his seat abruptly, knocking it over with the back of his knees and sending a loud clattering sound through the lounge.

His could feel how big his eyes were. "This is," he practically wheezed, leaning his hands heavily against the table like he could no longer support his own weight.

Makoto looked at his phone, then back to his bento, ignoring the fact that there were about fifteen strangers staring at him. He picked his chair back up absentmindedly and sunk back into it.

He felt himself starting to get a thrill of nervous giggles. He pressed his forehead against the table, covering his head and lunch with his arms, red heat burning across his cheeks all the way to his ears.

###

The knock on Haru's door was a rambunctious thrashing that made it seem like whoever was on the other side was in the middle of a life or death situation. Haru strolled across his apartment leisurely, opened it nonchalantly.

"Makoto?"

Haru had to squint when he opened the door-- the sun was setting, throwing a bright orange burst into Haru's vision. But he couldn't mistake Makoto's giant frame almost doubled over in front of him, heaving on breath like he had been running for miles.

"What are you doing here?" Haru asked, confused rather than put out. "Did we have something planne--"

"Happy Valentine's Day, Haru!" Makoto finally spat, words almost too loud. He straightened his back, rising to his full height. His forehead was damp with sweat in spite of the cold.

Haru blinked away from him, "Oh... thanks, I guess."

"No," Makoto said, shaking his head, "Thank you."

Haru brought his gaze back to him. He hadn't spent all day with his stomach in knots or anything.

"I couldn't--" Makoto was still a little breathless, "I had to thank you in person."

Haru pulled his gaze away from him and the sunset that was backlighting him, "It was nothing."

Makoto looked down at him, gaze unnervingly focused. His words came out steadier this time, lower, "What did it mean?"

Haru felt his face growing a little warm. He still couldn't bring himself to look at him. "Tch," he clicked, falling back on his normal nonchalance. But when he finally brought his eyes back to Makoto they were furrowed and unwavering. Haru felt himself collapsing under the pressure of that gaze. He finally mumbled, "Don't you usually know what I mean without me having to say it?" Haru pulled his hand near his face, using it to block the rays of sun that were burning behind Makoto's shoulder.

Makoto lifted his own hand, slid his fingers through Haru's. Haru blinked up at him in surprise as Makoto took a step closer, crushing all the distance between them. Makoto stared down at him, eyes still heavy with focus. Haru felt his heart squeeze in his chest, and that was before Makoto's other hand cupped his jaw and Makoto bent down to press their lips together.

Haru felt the world around him and every thought in his head explode into nothingness. Warm soft lips were gently tucked against his own, hands wound together with fingers shaking so that neither knew which one of them it was. Haru felt himself sigh against him, felt his body naturally lean into his. His veins were buzzing, skin prickling with heat so that he was unaware of the February cold.

When Makoto pulled away his cheeks were stained red, chest heaving again. Haru dropped his eyes, curled his free hand in Makoto's shirt as he pressed his forehead into his shoulder. There was a pause, and then Makoto's kind voice brushed quiet and gentle over Haru's skin, "Is that what you meant?"

Haru tightened his grip on Makoto's shirt, eyes squeezing tight as his blush intensified. Finally, he answered with small nod and a shy word, "Yes."

 

**Author's Note:**

> http://suggestivescribe.tumblr.com/


End file.
